Conquering the Millau Bridge with a 1988 Vantage Volante
Discussion
I never heard of this bridge until I saw it on Top Gear in the piece with the Ford GT, a Ferrari and the Zonda.
I made a point to go on "pilgrimage"
The car was superb in spite of the incredible heat (when London was at 35-37 Celsius). These Astons were built to eat hundreds of miles...
I always feel very lucky and priviledged to drive her and this was a very special occasion
A67
I made a point to go on "pilgrimage"
The car was superb in spite of the incredible heat (when London was at 35-37 Celsius). These Astons were built to eat hundreds of miles...
I always feel very lucky and priviledged to drive her and this was a very special occasion
A67
but there is a pic-nic area to observe the bridge (at least this July)!
Just after the bridge (direction north) one just turns to the right... I took other pics and there was a nice parking space, a couple of offices... with a nice view
regards
A67
Just after the bridge (direction north) one just turns to the right... I took other pics and there was a nice parking space, a couple of offices... with a nice view
regards
A67
Edited by aston67 on Tuesday 15th August 14:30
last year the Hunter Green collection saw the Vantage Volante sold in excess of £130,000 beating even the POW at £110,000
www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3500.asp?id=12494
good VVs are in the 75-100 region. Below usually there is an issue waiting to happen or you are looking at a "lipstick special"... that would be a RED Vantage Volante.
A RED VV is truly err... challenging. One has to spend money for a respray in a more acceptable colour then a retrim is usually required for the red piping. Then one has to look at the hood.
RED is great on a normal Volante or in the Vantage, especially in France under the sun. A red VV is too much of a muchness even for an 80s fanatic like me.
Low mileage VV are dangerous for they need either recommissioning or being driven a lot ironing out all the neglect that eventually bites any classic Aston
A67
www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3500.asp?id=12494
good VVs are in the 75-100 region. Below usually there is an issue waiting to happen or you are looking at a "lipstick special"... that would be a RED Vantage Volante.
A RED VV is truly err... challenging. One has to spend money for a respray in a more acceptable colour then a retrim is usually required for the red piping. Then one has to look at the hood.
RED is great on a normal Volante or in the Vantage, especially in France under the sun. A red VV is too much of a muchness even for an 80s fanatic like me.
Low mileage VV are dangerous for they need either recommissioning or being driven a lot ironing out all the neglect that eventually bites any classic Aston
A67
Edited by aston67 on Wednesday 16th August 15:37
Edited by aston67 on Wednesday 16th August 16:27
also one has to be careful when buying a POW a-like
these are normal Volantes with a Vantage engine fitted later. You get the power but the chassis in the VV was strenghtend to cope with it! Signs of trouble can be seen usually near the cap fillers in the back... cracks in the paint.
Back to interesting VVs
www.allastonmartin.com/items/154?back=%2Fpages%2Fstock
My car was originally in that colour but the previous owner decided (rightfully!) for Rolls Royce Royal Blue. Chichester is great on the coupe version IMHO. The darker the better on the VV
these are normal Volantes with a Vantage engine fitted later. You get the power but the chassis in the VV was strenghtend to cope with it! Signs of trouble can be seen usually near the cap fillers in the back... cracks in the paint.
Back to interesting VVs
www.allastonmartin.com/items/154?back=%2Fpages%2Fstock
My car was originally in that colour but the previous owner decided (rightfully!) for Rolls Royce Royal Blue. Chichester is great on the coupe version IMHO. The darker the better on the VV
Dear Craig
"de gustibus non disputandum est" someone would say
new hood could be 4,000, interior another 8,000 then respray... well anything in the 10,000 region UP and this is just for cosmetics!
Usually these red VVs are not driven a lot hence engine... it is sad to see these cars to bounce from an auction to another and so on looking for a loving owner that would foot the bill.
The recent example was the Red Ecurie Ecosse V8 VV with the spoiler on the back but normal volante front. It was resprayed in green and retrimmed... sold last year at Bonhams as well for 75000 ish if memory serves me well
hence I would not touch a red VV with a barge pole when looking at the car as an investment as well (or less depreciation!)
I would buy a POW in red without thinking, a normal Volante or a V8 Vantage Coupe. But I would stop there
A67
"de gustibus non disputandum est" someone would say
new hood could be 4,000, interior another 8,000 then respray... well anything in the 10,000 region UP and this is just for cosmetics!
Usually these red VVs are not driven a lot hence engine... it is sad to see these cars to bounce from an auction to another and so on looking for a loving owner that would foot the bill.
The recent example was the Red Ecurie Ecosse V8 VV with the spoiler on the back but normal volante front. It was resprayed in green and retrimmed... sold last year at Bonhams as well for 75000 ish if memory serves me well
hence I would not touch a red VV with a barge pole when looking at the car as an investment as well (or less depreciation!)
I would buy a POW in red without thinking, a normal Volante or a V8 Vantage Coupe. But I would stop there
A67
but Jock time "invested" is fully rewarded when driving the car.
Once properly sorted Astons are truly a pleasure to drive as I can confirm you fresh of a 2,500 miles trip.
Money - well yes and no. Not always the money invested in an Aston will come back. Someone buys an Aston, keep it in a garage for years, no a penny is spent and when the market moves higher he sell into it. Profit made, sometimes...
but again: one can buy a DB 7 new and lose 50% (that would be 50,000£
in 3-4 years of the initial £100,000
and this applies to any car. I love the Audi RS6 and it was in 2003 65,000£. Now second hand you can get choice of colour and interior almost for 50% less!
A classic Aston could cost an outrageous amount of money to fix when one buys the wrong one. But then sometimes logic does not work when one is in love with a car.
A67
Once properly sorted Astons are truly a pleasure to drive as I can confirm you fresh of a 2,500 miles trip.
Money - well yes and no. Not always the money invested in an Aston will come back. Someone buys an Aston, keep it in a garage for years, no a penny is spent and when the market moves higher he sell into it. Profit made, sometimes...
but again: one can buy a DB 7 new and lose 50% (that would be 50,000£
in 3-4 years of the initial £100,000 and this applies to any car. I love the Audi RS6 and it was in 2003 65,000£. Now second hand you can get choice of colour and interior almost for 50% less!
A classic Aston could cost an outrageous amount of money to fix when one buys the wrong one. But then sometimes logic does not work when one is in love with a car.
A67
totally different cars, different numbers of production (100 vs 5000), different ability to hold residual values
the VV has already gone through the depreciation phase and is picking in value
the DB 7 is still under a lot of pressure of previous owners now selling it
and the bills are the SAME when you have to fix an Aston
the VV has already gone through the depreciation phase and is picking in value
the DB 7 is still under a lot of pressure of previous owners now selling it
and the bills are the SAME when you have to fix an Aston
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